Baghdad: There were fresh rocket attacks on the green zone, home to many important offices including the US embassy, in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. No losses have been reported in the attack, which took place at 3.24 a.m. on Sunday on this region classified as high-security. No terrorist organisation has accepted the responsibility of the attacks. But these attacks add to the worries of the United States and Iraq.
The United States killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani with an airstrike at Baghdad. Thereafter, the Iraq parliament passed a resolution that the United States should withdraw its military from Iraq. There are severe differences over this resolution in Iraq. The United States refused to withdraw its military in stern language, following this demand by the Iraqi parliament. Whereas, the Iran-affiliated organisations are threatening to continue with the attacks until the United States withdrew its military.
Against this background, Katyusha rockets are being used to target the high-security green zone in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. On Sunday, rockets were launched into the green zone at 3.24 a.m. local time. Videos of the attack have been posted on social media, and the fire and smoke following the attack can be clearly seen in the video. The US military spokesman confirmed the attacks. But the spokesman informed that there were no losses reported in the attacks. Whereas, the Iraq military also confirmed that there were no losses in the attacks.
Despite this, the attacks add to the concerns of the United States. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had expressed severe concerns over the attacks on the US military bases in Iraq. He had held discussions with the Iraq government over the matter and had issued stern warnings. Pompeo had warned that if the Iraq government is incapable of protecting the US interests, then the United States will take the necessary action for this. But the US action will not be in anyone’s interest. Thereafter, the Iraq government had decided to beef up the security.
Currently, there are severe differences in Iraq over the US military withdrawal. The Iraqi people are protesting against the incumbent government, accusing it of being Pro-Iranian. As per these protestors, the Iranian influence in Iraq is dangerous and will have dreadful effects. But the Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq are demanding US military withdrawal. At a time, when Iraq is caught in a political turmoil because of the severe differences over the US military withdrawal, the attacks in the green zone are adding to the anarchy like situation in the country.
The US Secretary of State has already threatened to undertake a direct action, in case the United States suffered any losses in the attacks on the US embassy or military bases. Therefore, indications are that the United States may decide to target these Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq. Whereas, the Iran-affiliated groups, infuriated by the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, are speaking the language of a decisive war with the United States. At the same time, the Israeli leaders are claiming that Israel is responsible for stopping Iran in Syria, and the United States has accepted the responsibility of stopping Iran in Iraq.
Therefore, if it is exposed that Iran or Iran-affiliated groups are behind the attacks on the green zone or the US interests in Iraq, the United States may take some aggressive decisions to rock Iran. This possibility seems to have increased manifold after the Sunday attack on the green zone.
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